Former Ghana national football team striker Prince Tagoe has attributed the team’s recent struggles to what he describes as a lack of spiritual grounding and weak ties with supporters, urging current players to reconnect with fans and embrace community involvement.

Ghana’s four-time African champions have endured a difficult run in recent years, suffering consecutive group-stage exits at the Africa Cup of Nations tournaments in Cameroon (2021) and Ivory Coast (2023), before failing to qualify for the 2025 edition in Morocco — their first absence from the competition in over two decades.

Despite those setbacks, the Black Stars secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Speaking on Sporty FM, Tagoe said that during his era, success was driven not only by talent but also by humility, charity work and strong spiritual support from fans. He argued that today’s players appear distant and less engaged with the communities that cheer them on.

"If you play for the Black Stars and you don't show love to the people who come to cheer you up, or you don't care about the people who knew you while growing up, it becomes a problem, and these are the same people who will be praying for the team, because sometimes we do contribute and assist charity works as well and this what I want to see in this current team because I don't think this current team do that," he said.

The former Accra Hearts of Oak SC forward contrasted the current squad with past teams led by figures such as Stephen Appiah, whom he said built close relationships with supporters and inspired goodwill.

"We are all in Ghana, and most of these players playing for the Black Stars have been described as stingy players, and that is teh fact. People might not be able to say that in public, but during our time, people used to come around the team because of Stephen Appiah, and we, the players, must ensure that we express our appreciation because these are the same people who will support the team, and this is something the team must look at. Sometimes, it is not about how good you are, but you will need to have luck and spiritual backing," he added.

Tagoe maintained that giving back to fans and maintaining a positive connection with the public could help restore “luck and spiritual backing” for the team.

Ghana will make its fifth World Cup appearance in 2026, drawn in Group L alongside Panama, England and Croatia. The Black Stars, who exited at the group stage in Brazil (2014) and Qatar (2022), will base their camp at Bryant Universityas they aim for a deeper run in the tournament.